Things to Come
by IloveHPbooks
Summary: Harry must deal with the loss of Sirius and will seek revenge on the one that had caused so much destruction. Harry deals with negative feeling towards the other golden-trio members- HPGW and HGRW Restricted for future refrences..Ch 3 up!
1. Summer letters

Harry bolted up, eyes wide open, hands gripping his sheets so hard that his knuckles were turning white. His clothes were plastered to his body from the sweat that had collected as he had twisted and turned in his sleep from the dream. His breath was labored, coming in short spurts...he knew that if he didn't calm down, he would start to hyperventilate.  
  
_That dream again!, Not a dream, a nightmare..._  
  
He was dreaming about that night again. That night at the ministry, the night that Sirius had died. It had been happening every night since he had gotten off of the Hogwarts express and had come back to the Dursley's for the summer. It had been almost a full month now, and yet it still continued to disturb his sleep every single night.  
  
Sirius...he still couldn't believe that he was really gone. Harry kept expecting to get an owl from him saying that it had all been a plan to officially get Sirius off of the Ministry's radar. Yet somehow, in the back of his mind, he knew that wasn't true. He knew that he had really lost Sirius, that he would never be able to clear his name, or live with him. However, he was still grieving and was still in the stages of denial.  
  
Turning to the clock that sat on the shabby cloth which covered the rickety table in the tiny bedroom (everything was shabby and rickety, since it was usually from the Dursleys attic or something that Dudley had previously owned), Harry realized that it was after midnight. That made the date July 31st. It was Harry's 16th birthday.  
  
Turning his attention to the desk that sat in the corner of the room, he realized that there were numerous owls sitting around Hedwig's cage. The were all carrying letters and brightly wrapped packages of different sizes. He immediately recognized Pig, Ron's owl, because he was the only one that was still zooming around in the air. After catching Pig, he untied the parchment, which he recognized had Ron's untidy scrawl on the outside, and the packages that he was carrying, he threw the owl back out the window. Next, he turned to the owl that he recognized as one of Hogwarts owls, it had brought the schools letter containing his O.W.L results and also the list containing the items he would need for the new school year. Harry hesitated, and then decided that he would wait before opening the letter with his results. At this point, he laughed out loud, he could hear Hermione's response to that statement in his head, it would have an outrageous yell. He was sure that Hermione had also pulled the feathers out of the owl while trying to get her letter. At this point, he turned to Hedwig, his own owl, who had gone to get his present from Hermione, just like she did every single year. Hagrid had definitely been right years ago, owls were extremely smart and useful. He then looked at the collection of unfamiliar owls that were assorted around his room. Being careful to handle everything with extreme caution, since he wasn't sure where the others had come from, he began to untie the various things that were attacked to the legs of the owls.  
  
Firstly, he had come across of a note from Hagrid, who had apparently borrowed a post office owl from Hogsmeade to use. He then saw Mrs. Weasley's familiar handwriting on another piece of rolled-up parchment. He deducted from this that the family's old owl had either died or just couldn't fly more than a hundred feet, like Ron had been suggesting for years. He then gently untied the rest of the pieces of parchment with handwriting that he didn't recognize. Lastly, he came across Fawkes, with a note from Dumbledore. He decided to read this one first.  
  
_Mr. Potter,  
  
First, I would like to wish you a very happy birthday indeed. While I know that you have seen and done more than most wizards in their entire life, I understand that sixteen is quite an important year for a young man like yourself. You are nearing legal age here in the wizarding world, and I can only wish that things will become easier for you as you grow older. We all experienced a disturbing loss of a dear friend and family member, yet I understand that it was the hardest for you. I hope that you have come to the realization that in no way were you at fault with the events that transpired in the ministry. I would also like to congratulate you on a few matters at hand. I believe that I had explained to you why I had not made you a prefect that night in my office, but I think it is time to correct that matter. I hope that you chose to join your friends in this honor on September 1st. I believe that Professor McGonagall also has important news to give to you, and I further my congratulations to you on that matter, which you will discover shortly. Lastly, I wish to inform you that I believe that you have spent a sufficient amount of time at the Dursley's for this summer, and so I have spoken to both Arthur and Molly. They are glad to have you spend the rest of the summer with them. Ron shall be in contact with you as soon as Molly lets him know the significant details.  
  
I shall speak to you shortly, and once again Harry, Happy Birthday. __ AD_  
  
After grinning at the unexpected news about spending the rest of the summer at the Burrow, Harry's eyes traveled back to the news of him being made prefect and the business that the headmaster spoke of with the transfigurations professor and his head of house. He assumed that this was something about his O.W.L results...maybe it was about furthering his dreams of becoming an auror? She had claimed that she would do whatever possible to help him achieve his goal.  
  
Looking back over to the pile of unrecognized letters, he now noticed the professor's handwriting. He reached for that letter.  
  
_Mr. Potter, _

_I write to inform you that with the lift of your quidditch ban at the end of last term, I have chosen to make you captain of the team this year. You have the most experience of the current members, and I expect for you to keep that Cup in my office. I also wish to inform you that I have made Mr. Weasley your Co-captain. I feel that with your relationship, and his strategics, we have an unbeatable team. Congratualtions, and we will speak again on September 1st. Enjoy the rest of your summer.  
  
Professor McGonagall Deputy Headmistress_  
  
Harry had expected almost anything but this news. He had almost dropped the parchment on the floor, and had had to read through it three times before comprehending the news. Him and Ron were co-captains! He quickly grabbed Ron's letter from the pile on the desk.  
  
_Harry! WE'RE CAPTAINS OF THE TEAM! CAPTAINS!  
  
Happy Birthday mate! I can't wait to see you, and we'll be at your house tomorrow at 5 p.m.!  
_  
Harry grinned at the parchment in his hand. He briefly frowned, as Ron hadn't mentioned how he would be getting picked up. He hoped that it wouldn't be throw the Floo again, as he didn't want a repeat of the last time. He then turned to the present. Quickly unwrapping it, he saw that it was a full set of wizarding chess pieces. He couldn't wait to play against Ron.  
  
Next, he opened the letter from Hermione.  
  
_Happy Birthday Harry!  
  
I just wanted to send your present with Hedwig, and can't wait to catch up with you on all the news! I'll also be spending the rest of my summer at the Burrow, and so we'll talk then!  
  
Love, Hermione_  
  
Harry opened her present, which was a gift certificate for 20 galleons to spend in any store in Diagon Alley, and also some broom polish for his Firebolt.  
  
Looking at the clock, he realized that it was just after two in the morning. Harry took a glance at the pile still on his desk, and then realized that he should open the rest in the morning, since he still had to pack his things and finish all his homework before he left for the Burrow. He quickly decided to open one more, and then the rest in the morning after he finished all he had to do. Taking a glance at the pile, he picked one up that looked vaguely familiar.  
  
_Dear Harry, _

_Happy Birthday! I know that I've never written to you before, but we got a lot closer this past year and so I now consider you one of my friends, not just Ron's. I hope that you like your present and I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Hope the muggles aren't being too horrendous and that you haven't been thinking too much about that night at the ministry.  
  
Ginny  
  
P.S. I know that the present isn't much, but I saw it and thought of you.  
_  
Ginny? He had never expected a letter from her. Yet now that he thought about it, he didn't think of her as just Ron's younger sister anymore. She was one of his friends now, someone that he cared about, and she was smart and pretty too...WAIT! She was still just Ginny...nothing more, was she?  
  
Opening his present, he discovered a seal that he could press into hot wax and then press into letters he was sending. It was silver, and has his initials and the Gryffindor crest engraved into it.  
  
Mulling over this recent development in his friendship with Ginny, he lay down in bed, never again thinking about the nightmare that had been disturbing his sleep for many nights. He wouldn't awake again until the sun was high in the sky the next morning.


	2. The Burrow Brings Surprises

Disclaimer: I forgot this in the last chapter, so this is for the first and second chapter of THINGS TO COME: The characters and main ideas of the story are in no way mine, and are expected to promote the HP series, which is owned and written by Ms.Rowling.  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews by: WhiteRabbit5 and ki-ki93! Glad you have enjoyed so far! Keep reading and reviewing!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Harry turned and looked at the clock that now sat in the sparsely occupied room, which was now void of any of his belongings, except for Hedwig's cage. The clock read 4:52, and Harry's stomach gave a quick wave of excitement, as he realized that he would soon be leaving the Dursley's until next summer...hopefully the last one he would ever spend there. Thinking about it, the summer had been better than others, since the Dursley's hadn't spoken to Harry more than a dozen times apiece after being threatened at King's Cross.  
  
It had been a very busy day for Harry, as he had woken after Nine a.m. It was the latest he had risen all summer, and he was still mulling over his peaceful night of sleep. Not that he wasn't happy about it, mind you, just surprised.  
  
After waking up and eating breakfast in the empty kitchen, as the Dursley's had immediately gone out after Harry had mentioned that wizards would be coming by to pick him up for the rest of the summer, Harry had come back to his room. He had opened the rest of the letters that were on the desk, and they had consisted of birthday wishes from Hagrid, with some treacle fudge, Lupin, Tonks, Moody, and Mrs. Weasley.  
  
After that, he had sat down and written the three essays he had yet to finish for his holiday homework. One was for potions, the other for transfigurations, and the third for charms. He had no work for DADA, as there was currently no teacher to teach that class. Hagrid had assigned no work for CoMC.  
  
Before completing him homework, Harry had finally opened his letter from the Ministry containing his O.W.L results and his school letter.  
  
**(A/N: I have no idea how to scale O.W.L. results, so this is quick)  
**  
Potter, Harry James

Hogwarts: Gryffindor  
  
**_O: Outstanding_**

**_ E: Exceptional _**

**_A: Acceptable _**

**_P: Poor _**

**_T: Terrible_**  
  
****

****

**Defense Against the Dark Arts: Theory: O/ Practical: O **

**Potions: Theory: E/ Practical: O **

**Charms: Theory: O/ Practical: O **

**Care of Magical Creatures: Theory: O/ Practical: O **

**Transfiguration: Theory: E/ Practical: O **

**Astronomy: Theory: N/A / Practical: A **

**Divination: Theory: N/A/ Practical: A**  
  
He had been surprised and extremely happy to see that he had gotten eight O.W.L's, and all the ones that he had needed to get into N.E.W.T classes to become an auror. After that, he had opened his school letter, and had discovered that it contained the list of books that he would need. Glancing over the list, he saw that it contained quite a few new items that he would need to get in Diagon alley before the summer was over.  
  
It was now promptly Five on the dot, and as he looked at the clock once again, he realized that he could feel the air shifting, and he recognized the magical waves that were emitted with a portkey in use. One minute Harry was the only person in his room, and in the next there stood a grinning Ron and Mr. Weasley.  
  
"Harry mate, it's great to see you! Happy Birthday!"  
  
Looking at his best friend, Ron was surprised to see that Harry looked quite different. He had grown, both taller and more muscular, but it was also the look in his eyes that surprised him the most. There was a sparkle there...almost like Dumbledore's. It was a look of self-confidence, yet not like Malfoy's, but quiet self belief.  
  
Harry flashed a quick smile. "It's great to see you too Ron. Thanks for the chess set. Can you believe that we're captains?"  
  
The two boys grinned at each other, happy to finally be equal, at least in one thing that they both enjoyed. Harry knew how much it meant to Ron that he was also a captain, and he knew that despite everything that was coming up in the wizarding world due to Voldermort's return, it would be a great year for the two of them.  
  
Arthur Weasley cleared his throat. "Boys, we need to get going, the portkey will activate again in a minute. Harry, are all you're things ready?"  
  
Harry nodded as he gestured to his closed trunk and Hedwig's cage. "I sent Hedwig on to the Burrow about an hour ago, if that's ok?"  
  
"That's fine Harry, but I'm not sure if we'll be at the Burrow for the entire summer, the family might be moving to Sir...Headquarters in the next week, whatever Dumbledore decides."  
  
Looking uncomfortable with his mention of Sirius, Arthur quickly glanced at Harry, as did Ron with a concerned look on his face, but Harry quickly glanced away.  
  
"Well...let's go then, just a finger on the bottle, and make sure to hold onto your trunk and the cage."  
  
He gestured to the water bottle in his hand, and they all grabbed onto the trunk, with Ron holding onto Hedwig's cage. Harry soon felt the familiar unsettling tugging under his navel, and the entire world was soon a blurring of color for a moment. Faster than Harry could take a breath, he felt his feet hit the ground, and he held fast onto the trunk, managing to end up on the trunk instead of on the floor.  
  
Looking up (and adjusting his glasses, which we're currently hanging off of one ear), Harry saw a group of mostly redheads grinning at him.  
  
"Harry dear, how are you doing? It's great to see you, but you're looking so thin! Lunch will be ready in just a minute! Sit, sit! Fred, George, take Harry's trunk up to Ron's room and then come right back down!" This was all said in one flustered breath, as Mrs. Weasley ran back to the stove where there were three different pots boiling on the stove, potato's peeling themselves in the sink, and the radio playing a Weird Sister's song in the background. She then quickly turned back around, ran over to Harry, gave him a tight motherly hug, and then ran out of the room.  
  
Harry grinned at her back, and then turned back to the group still assembled in front of him. His eyes caught sight of the two Weasley twins, who were grinning at him in their matching neon-green dragon hide jackets. "Don't worry about the trunk guys, I'll take it up myself later." "No problem Harry, we'll do it, but later we would like to speak to you about some of our...business ventures."  
  
With that said, each twin picked up a handle on each side of the trunk, and then turned and walked up the stairs...until Fred (or was it George?) lost his footing, and both boys fell back down the stairs and landed in a heap at Harry's feet.  
  
Harry cocked an eyebrow, and asked the two a question with obvious laughter in his voice. "You two are of legal age aren't you?" The two glanced at each other and then back at Harry with a questioning look in their eyes. "Ye..." "Wingardium Leviosa, hm?" "Oh..."  
  
Laughing, Harry turned back to the two girls that were still standing in front of him.  
  
"Harry, it's great to see you...you haven't written nearly as much as I had hoped..."  
  
Harry looked at the bushy haired girl in front of him, who he noticed had changed over the summer just as he had...her hair was still bushy, but looked much more relaxed, and it was sleeker and shiner. She had also grown and had, eh, filled out in certain areas.  
  
"Hermione, I told you that there was nothing going on, that's all...I'm fine."  
  
Even as he said the words, he knew that they weren't true...but what else could he say? Even though he knew that his friends were worried about him, and even though they were still dealing with the effects of losing his godfather, they just didn't know what they he was going through.  
  
"Oh Harry...I just wish that you would talk to us... you need to stop shutting all of us-" "Hermione! Do you think you could leave the boy alone?!"  
  
Everyone looked at Ginny with surprise, and she herself looked as if she couldn't believe that those words had just come out of her mouth.

A/N: I posted this chapter up today because I wanted to give you guys a little more of the story, but I'm probably going to take a few days to write out a little bit more. However, I promise that reviews will push me along! Please R&R and let me know how you want this story to go...


	3. Garden nights

Harry lay in the cot that had been set up for him in Ron's room. Overhead, he heard the sounds that were resident in the Burrow. He could hear the ghoul banging on the pipes in the attic, and he could even hear a few half- hearted bangs coming from the twin's room.  
  
Harry couldn't sleep, and he had already been trying for almost three hours. He tried to blame his insomnia on Ron's snores, but deep down, he knew that wasn't the reason. He had dealt with Ron's snores for four years while sharing the same dormitory with him. His mind quickly turned to the fact that he wasn't able to fall asleep because he was worried that he would awake from one of his customary nightmares, but he knew that wasn't it either...  
  
Ginny. Her sudden outburst towards Hermione had surprised them all that morning, even her herself. She had blushed that famous Weasley blush (which, now that Harry thought back to it, didn't look half as bad on her as on the masculine Weasley's,) and then she had straightened her back and has silently stood behind her words with a defiant sharp nod in Hermione's direction. Harry didn't know how to react to all these...sudden changes in Ginny's character. Yes, she had become a lot more than just Ron's little sister the previous year, especially after...that night...but now he was questioning whether or not his feeling were just brotherly, or maybe even something more...  
  
His thoughts turned back to the day that had just passed. It had been a pleasant evening, filled with laughter and birthday cake in the backyard. Harry had sat between Ron and Mr. Weasley, with Hermione on Ron's other side, Ginny across from Harry, the twins on either side of her, and finally Mrs. Weasley next to Mr. Weasley. Others had flooed in for a few minutes, to wish him a happy birthday and to speak to the Weasley's about Order business. He hadn't been able to hear anything, not say that they hadn't tried, but Mrs. Weasley had made sure to keep all the kids away at that point with a threat of de-gnoming the garden for the rest of the summer if she caught any of them listening in, even Harry. They had resigned themselves to having someone stationed out by the door to the kitchen, so that if anyone came by maybe they could try and cajole some information out of them.  
  
Harry was most interested to try and get into contact with Dumbledore, because he felt that he was really the only one that finally understood that they just couldn't keep Harry out of the loop anymore. Whether or not the Order wanted to admit it, it would come down to Harry...it would all come down to him...  
  
_That's it! I can't sleep...lying here isn't going to do anything but frustrate me. Maybe I should go into the garden and get some fresh air..._

What Harry didn't know was that he wasn't the only one that couldn't sleep in the Weasley house that night. He also didn't know that he was the reason for the other insomniac in the house that night, and what he most certainly didn't know was that it was a certain Ms. Weasley that was thinking about him that night.  
  
Ginny was worried about Harry. While he had been a lot less withdrawn that night than most had expected from him, Ginny noticed that his laughs were forced and that the smiles didn't quite reach his eyes. He had been silent for most of the night, speaking only when spoken to, and even then with short answers.  
  
Ginny decided that it was time to get to sleep, but instantly felt that sleep wouldn't be coming anytime soon as she laid back on her pillows, as she still didn't feel anymore relaxed then when she had gotten into bed hours ago. She looked over at Hermione, who has quickly fallen asleep in the bed across from Ginny right after the girls had come into the room. A blush came to Ginny's face as the scene she had caused earlier that day came to mind again. Ginny still didn't understand where that outburst had come from, but she had seen the way that Harry's eyes had instantly darkened as Hermione had begun her questioning, the way his shoulders had instinctively hunched over as he retreated back into his shell, and all Ginny had wanted to do was protect him...  
  
She had apologized to Hermione right after the two girls had come upstairs, and Hermione had waived away any apologies without a second thought. She had in fact, instantly agreed that she was pushing Harry into talking about what had happened, even though after all these years she understood that he just needed time to accept what had happened in his own way. Ginny had seen that look in Hermione's eyes, and she was sure that it was reflected in her own. Worry and concern for Harry was something that they had all been dealing with in their own way that summer. They all wanted to do something, especially for herself, Hermione, and Ron, since they weren't officially in the Order and knew that keeping up Harry's spirits were the best way to help the cause right now. As much as Harry didn't want to believe it, they all cared for him deeply, and he was now a member of all their families. While it may be up to Harry to end what torture He-who-must-not-be-Named was bringing to the Wizarding World, they were all going to do whatever they could to help.  
  
As Ginny realized that sleep wasn't going to come anytime soon for her that night, she decided to try and go downstairs to get some warm milk, and maybe after that go sit out in the garden and look up for a shooting star. Maybe she could make a wish, and just make life a little bit easier for all of them...

Harry was sitting on the bench in the garden, and as the house was on a bit of a hill, he could easily see the field that the Weasley's used to play quidditch. In fact, if he wasn't wrong, Ron had mentioned something about going down there tomorrow to start working on planning some new strategies. Thinking over this suggestion, Harry had come to a realization. Even though he loved quidditch, it just didn't seem as...important...as it had been at a point. Now it just seemed like something that was just a game. He knew it had always been just a game, but in some way it had made him feel closer to his dad.  
  
Thinking of his dad made him think of his mum, and then Sirius...Sirus. His name alone still made Harry's heart feel as if someone was squeezing it until it would burst. He hated thinking about Sirus, because no matter what everyone said...Dumbledore, Lupin, Ron, Hermione....he knew that it was his fault...  
  
Harry jumped as he heard a gasp behind him. Reaching for his wand, he spun around, hand out with his wand ready, and saw... Ginny?  
  
She stood there, with a look of shock and embarrassment on her face, a cup of spilt milk at her feet, her hair in two pigtails, all wrapped up in her bathrobe. Had Harry looked closer, he would have seen that only a very short shirt was what Ginny had underneath, but he was too busy looking up at her face. Even though she had no makeup on, and her hair in childlike pigtails, she looked absolutely stunning in the moonlight, with porcelain skin and fiery red hair. Her bathrobe hugged her curves in all the right places, and she looked like...a women, not a girl.  
  
'_What's he doing out here?!'_ was the first thought that ran through Ginny's head, and the second was why Harry was staring at her with such an odd expression on his face. Yet even through those thoughts, the one that captured her attention the most was her thoughts on the look in his eyes. He looked haggard and distraught, far worse than he had looked earlier in the day.  
  
"Oh Harry! What's wrong?" Ginny asked, with a note of extreme worry in her voice, yet she fully knew not to expect a true answer from Harry. He always kept his feelings and worries bottled up inside, because he felt that by actually voicing them out loud, he was allowing someone else to worry about him. "Nothing." There it was, the flat tone that was always there when Harry lied about himself, because he didn't want others to worry over him. "Obviously it's something more than nothing Harry, or else you wouldn't be sitting out here in the middle of the night, you'd be asleep." "I said it was nothing.....and why are you awake in the middle of the night?!" Ginny knew that if she wanted to talk to Harry tonight, she would need to be the one who stayed calm, so she just took a deep breath, pushed the annoyance down, and responded with a quiet "couldn't sleep." "Oh."  
  
The two sat in silence for a few moments, both lost in their own thoughts but still very obvious to the fact that they weren't by themselves. After a few minutes in a slightly uncomfortable silence, Harry turned to look at Ginny with a slightly unsure yet questioning look on his face. He quickly looked away as Ginny looked up at him, obviously not meaning for her to have seen him. "What is it Harry?" Ginny asked sincerely, in her soft voice, obviously not meaning to push Harry any farther than he wanted to talk that night. "Gin...do you think I could ever forget?" Ginny instantly knew what he was talking about. She paused briefly, unsure as to how to answer his question, but somehow, deep down, she felt as if she knew exactly what it was that Harry needed to hear at that moment. "I don't think that you're ever going to be able to forget him Harry, and I don't think that you would ever really want to. I don't think you're going to be able to forget that night either...but the pain Harry, that pain that's a knife in your heart every time that you think of him... I think you'll be able to forget that one day. It's not going to be any day soon, and most likely, it won't be a day that will come for a long time, but one day, you'll think of him, and there will be no pain. There will be sadness, and I think that you'll always know that you wish things had happened differently...but," she took a deep breath as she turned back to Harry, hoping that her next words wouldn't upset him to the point where he would get up and leave, "but I think you'll be able to accept that you couldn't change the way things happened, and that it wasn't your fault."  
  
Harry just turned back away from her, and let out a long sigh. He jumped slightly when he felt Ginny shift over to him, and gently begin to rub his back in soothing circles, gently running her other hand down his arm...down and up, down and up, down and up...until he began to feel his eyelids gently droop.  
  
"Gin...maybe we should head back to bed before your mum discovers one of us missing from our beds." Slowly, the two stood up from the bench, and began to make their way back to the kitchen door. Harry's arm had somehow managed to find its way to Ginny's shoulders, while her hand still rested on his forearm, yet it was nothing more than a friendly gesture. They found their way to the entrance to Ginny's room, and both stood for a moment. Ginny began to pull away slowly, as Harry tensed... "Gin...Thank you."... and with that, he leaned over, meaning to just give her a brotherly kiss on the forehead, but as Harry leaned forward, Ginny turned to look up at him, and somehow, almost as if someone had stood there directing them with a wand, their lips came together and met. At that moment, both of them felt the surge that hit them. It was as if someone had illustrated the two in a picture book, and both could almost feel the sparks running between the non-existent space between the two.  
  
In an instant, the two pulled back and stared at each other. Ginny quickly looked down, mumbled a goodnight, and promptly closed the door in Harry's face.

_A/N: All right, all right, i'll try to avoid the evil cliffhangers, but you have to all admit that you can picture the look on Harry's face as he stands in front of a door that had just been shut in his face after his first kiss with Ginny!!!_

_Please review all......that way at least i would know that i should continue the story!_


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